Draco's Hufflepuff | Emerging

Seventy-Nine: Backstabber

A/N: It would be Madeline's 44th birthday today! I like to imagine she's being waited on hand and foot by all the people who love her and that's she's being spoilt rotten. The girl sure does deserve it after all the shit she's gone (and will eventually go) through haha!

Oh, and we're also on the last five chapters! Yes, the last chapter is coming soon and it's a lot, let me tell you.

**

Sunday, 8th June, 1997

To say last Thursday was a bad day was a chronic understatement. Not only did I have another argument with Draco when I spotted him talking to Blaise, but I also received a detention from Professor Flitwick for my second Troll grade in a row.

I only wanted to wish him a happy birthday, but you would have thought I said the most vile, offensive, cruel thing I could think of. It all turned into chaos and a massive fight ensued. Everyone was arguing with everyone. As my friends were arguing with his friends, Draco and I just stared at each other. His jaw was clenched, and his face was formed into an evil scowl.

All of the Hufflepuffs were fighting with all of the Slytherins, and it was awful. I think someone even pushed Justin or Ernie at one point. I was truly stuck in the middle. It went badly quickly, and by the end of it, the argument was personal and nastier than I could have ever imagined.

Who would have thought that it would come to this? How did our love turn into something so ugly and dark?

Once I was back in our common room, I had a full-blown meltdown, the worst I'd had in a while. I was completely inconsolable. I was more or less screaming in frustration and pain, hitting out at Patrick who was trying to calm me down, and crying to the point I gave myself a panic attack.

It must have been quite early in the morning still because I couldn't hear anyone about just yet, but I also didn't care much to open my eyes to look at the shade of the sky outside of our window.

"Maddie?" I felt someone nudge me gently.

I took a deep breath to try and gather some composure and be as polite as I could to the person trying to speak to me. I had been trying to fight against my bad moods, as to avoid another dispute with my own friends.

"It's only me, babe. I just wanted to say you missed breakfast, and you got another letter from your parent's. It's the fourth unopened and unanswered one in the past couple of weeks," Hannah rubbed my arm tenderly,

"I don't care, Han," I sighed, knowing I was being cruel and ungrateful, but not caring anyway,

"Okay, Mads, I'll just put it here then, with the rest of them, for when you're ready to open them," Hannah said weakly but with genuine care in her tone, "Did you want to come down to lunch with us today? It might do you some good to get out of bed,"

I knew she was right and that she had a fair point. I had spent all of yesterday cooped up, tucked in the safety of my duvet, away from everyone else.

"I might skip lunch and come down to dinner, if that's okay," I muttered,

"Of course, babe. I'll leave you to get some rest, you know where we are if you need us," Hannah said softly, pushing my hair out of my face and kissing my head endearingly.

**

On and off all day, I had been crying to myself. The smallest thing could set me off, and I hated myself for being so weak and stupid. I couldn't help but wonder when I was going to snap out of this... if ever. Was this just who I was now? Merlin, people must be getting so bored of me by now.